Really, number 10 is the problem. You'd think being together for so long would mean I'd be brimming with ideas. Surely I know what the man wants by now? You would think so. But you'd be wrong. Remember, this is the eleventh birthday I've had to buy for. That's a lot of presents, and believe me, there have been some excellent ones over the years. Unfortunately, it looks like I only had ten good ideas in me, and now I'm picking through rejects from birthdays past, praying for inspiration to strike. My latest suggestion of "Kirsty Will Walk the Dog" vouchers, redeemable on demand, was not met with the excitement I'd been hoping for. (Apparently I'm supposed to walk her anyway. Whatever.)

I've got two days to get him something.

Fuck.

Talk birthday presents to me, people. Where do you find ideas? What's the best birthday present you've given or received? Actually, screw that - what's the worst? Please make me feel better about the fact that I'm probably about to give my husband a bottle of HP sauce wrapped up in kitchen roll for his birthday.

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I feel your pain...husband's birthday is coming up and I'm also out of ideas, and it's his 30th which makes me think I should get him something really good...I had booked us into fancy weekend away with fancy meal but now I'm up the duff the 9 course menu with matching wine isn't really going to work!

The gifts I've given in the past that have gone down the best are things we get to do together such as...A butchery course, a coffee making course, and lunch at a restaurant we'd been trying to get reservations in for ages.

But I also once bought him a spatula as a stocking present that he loved an inordinate amount so maybe the gift giving is completely random!

I got for Christmas from an ex a book and CD on how to learn Icelandic. I'd spent a year studying Icelandic with the same book and CD already. He wrapped it in newspaper (to be fair it was meant well and romantically but I remember desperately trying to hide my disappointment) and buying gifts for men is just hard.

Liam's favourite presents over the last couple of years have been an expensive but lovely canvas shoulder bag and... a spam-jo. That's a banjo made using an empty spam can. So I'm with KateQ on the random factor!

Spam-jos aside, in terms of tips for the future, I gather gift ideas throughout the year on Pinterest so that I'm not panicking at Christmas/Birthday time.

From what you've said about Fin I recommend booze and bombay mix (thinking about that Scottish holiday!). Nice cashmere sweater, ready for winter? Also can be worn in rubbish summers like this one....

I once got THREE sets of padded coat hangers for Christmas. From different people. What does that say about me? Actually, I'm not sure I want to know. My 22nd birthday my parents bought me a foot spa and a tracksuit - that's it, I thought, my youth is over.

Argh, I've got my boyfriend's 30th coming up and I've NO IDEAS. None. Even more none than the none I had for his 29th. But, on the bright side, one year my mum gave him three wooden spoons so he doesn't really expect much of note from anyone in my family...

I'm a big fan of the Mystery Tip. Pack a fancy M&S picnic, book train tickets, book tickets for an exhibition, drink wine on the way there (and back) - or maybe stay in a swish hotel. No one can ever complain about a swish hotel. Or, err, I once bought my brother some Margaret Thatcher underpants as a joke.

Know I'm a bit late – hope you came up with something (a wrapped up you by any chance?)! I'm with Laura, a mystery trip is always good or even just a boy's day out... we did the surgeon's hall museum followed by food at the whisky society on N's birthday (all his choice!) :)

I've never had a bad present from my lovely wife, but her grandmother did once give me a partly used bottle of bay rum aftershave for Christmas... Over a year after her husband had died. And he used bay rum aftershave.